For Release: November 26, 2008 Contact: David Almasi at (202) 543-4110 x11
or [email protected]

Why I'm Not Thankful We'll Have Obama as President - Yet

Washington, D.C. - Black conservative leader Deneen Borelli, a full-time senior fellow with the Project 21 black leadership network, says she's not thankful America is about to have Barack Obama as President - at least, not yet.

While she's grateful for "our nation's greatness and endless opportunity..." which made it possible for "a fatherless, racial minority of modest means rise to the most powerful position in the world," Borelli says, and even "excited... about Barack Obama's achievement," she's reserving judgment until she sees what kind of President Barack Obama turns out to be for not only racial minorities, but all Americans.

"I would be deeply thankful to have a black President who expands opportunity for all of us while protecting and extending freedom," says Borelli. "But will Barack Obama turn out to be that kind of President? A black Jimmy Carter would be nothing to be thankful for," she adds. "But a black Ronald Reagan would be a precious gift to the nation."

In a new commentary entitled "Black Backing of Barack Should Not Be Unconditional," Borelli writes: "Barack Obama's election is a capstone on black Americans' struggle for equality... It is quite possible to be black and be proud - even excited - about Barack Obama's achievement while opposing him politically. This black woman, for instance, did not vote for Obama. Furthermore, I don't believe his policies are sound."

Borelli points out that the wealth distribution policies advocated by Obama during his campaign "punish success and rewards underachievement." She adds: "That's not how our predecessors raised themselves up from bondage, poverty and racism. Who's going to work harder if the extra benefit is taken away and given to someone who didn't work as hard? It's no way to set our nation back on a stable economic course."

On energy, Borelli notes Obama's cap-and-trade emissions proposal "pick[s] energy winners and losers." Hurting power-generating industries such as coal would electricity more expensive, and disproportionately hurt minorities and the poor. "No one should be grateful for that," she says.

Borelli further notes: "Although it's amazing that a black was elected President, it's ironic that Obama's leftist policies are likely to hurt the very people he claims to want to help... Unfortunately, the 'we' in Obama's 'Yes We Can!' literally means collectivism and a statist government that stifles our liberties."

Nevertheless, Borelli notes, Obama has not yet been sworn in, and as such, he retains ample opportunity to embrace free-market policies that would give others the opportunities and prosperity he and his family have enjoyed.

Project 21, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization sponsored by the National Center for Public Policy Research, has been a leading voice of the African-American community since 1992. For more information, contact David Almasi at (202) 543-4110 x11 or [email protected], or visit Project 21's website at www.project21.org/P21Index.html.